Our team compiled the best Morgan Freeman movies and here is what they came up with
Morgan Freeman is considered one of the most distinguished and beloved actors of all time. His performances are known for their depth, range, and humanity, and he has been the recipient of numerous awards and accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.
The list of Morgan Freeman’s best movies is long and varied, as he has appeared in over 100 films since his breakout role in Street Smart in 1987. He has starred in a wide range of genres, from action movies and comedies to dramas and biopics. The following is a list of 28 of Morgan Freeman’s best movies, complete with a movie summary, MPAA movie rating, box office collection numbers, year of release, and why Morgan Freeman was appreciated in each:
Here are the 26 best Morgan Freeman movies to check out on the streaming service.
1. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
This classic drama follows the story of a banker named Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), who is wrongly convicted of a double murder and sent to a tough prison. In the prison, Andy befriends Ellis “Red” Redding (Morgan Freeman), an inmate who helps him to cope with his confinement. This movie was rated R and grossed $58.3 million at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his nuanced and heartfelt performance as Red.
2. Million Dollar Baby (2004)
This inspirational drama follows the story of Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank), an ambitious boxer who is determined to become a champion. She persuades a retired boxing trainer Frankie Dunn (Morgan Freeman) to coach her, and together they embark on an unlikely journey to success. This movie was rated PG-13 and grossed $216.1 million at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his performance as the gruff but loving trainer.
3. Unforgiven (1992)
This classic western follows the story of William Munny (Clint Eastwood), a retired gunslinger who is reluctantly drawn back into his violent past. Along the way, he is joined by his friend Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman) and the two face off against a ruthless sheriff (Gene Hackman). This movie was rated R and grossed $101 million at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his performance as the level-headed partner of Eastwood’s character.
4. Se7en (1995)
This dark crime thriller follows the story of two detectives (Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt) who are on the hunt for a serial killer with a deadly agenda. As they uncover clues and pursue the killer, the detectives are forced to confront the darkest aspects of human nature. This movie was rated R and grossed $327.3 million at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his performance as the wise and experienced detective.
5. The Dark Knight (2008)
This blockbuster superhero movie follows the story of Batman (Christian Bale) as he teams up with Lieutenant Jim Gordon (Morgan Freeman) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) to take on a criminal mastermind known as The Joker (Heath Ledger). This movie was rated PG-13 and grossed $1 billion at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his performance as the wise and level-headed ally of Batman.
6. Invictus (2009)
This inspiring biographical drama follows the story of Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) as he works to unite a country and inspire a nation by leading his rugby team to victory in the 1995 Rugby World Cup. This movie was rated PG-13 and grossed $122 million at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his performance as the iconic South African leader.
7. Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
This classic drama follows the story of Daisy Werthan (Jessica Tandy), an elderly woman who is reluctantly forced to hire a driver (Morgan Freeman). Over the course of their journey, the two form an unlikely bond that transcends the boundaries of race and class. This movie was rated PG and grossed $106.3 million at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his performance as the warm and endearing driver.
8. Glory (1989)
This historical drama follows the story of the first African-American regiment in the Civil War. The unit, led by Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick) and Sergeant Major Rawlins (Morgan Freeman), is tasked with mounting an assault on a Confederate fort. This movie was rated R and grossed $26.8 million at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his performance as the wise and brave leader of the regiment.
9. Bruce Almighty (2003)
This comedy follows the story of Bruce Nolan (Jim Carrey), an ordinary man who is given the power of God (Morgan Freeman) after complaining that life isn’t fair. Bruce soon discovers that being God isn’t as easy as he thought it would be. This movie was rated PG-13 and grossed $484.6 million at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his performance as the wise and mysterious God.
10. The Sum of All Fears (2002)
This action-thriller follows the story of Jack Ryan (Ben Affleck), a CIA analyst who must prevent a terrorist plot to detonate a nuclear bomb in the United States. He is aided in his mission by CIA Director William Cabot (Morgan Freeman). This movie was rated PG-13 and grossed $193.9 million at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his performance as the experienced and level-headed leader of the CIA.
11. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
This classic action-adventure follows the story of Robin Hood (Kevin Costner) and his band of outlaws as they battle the Sheriff of Nottingham (Alan Rickman) to save England. They are aided in their mission by Azeem (Morgan Freeman), an Arabian warrior. This movie was rated PG-13 and grossed $390.5 million at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his performance as the wise and brave Azeem.
12. Deep Impact (1998)
This sci-fi disaster movie follows the story of a group of people who must save the world from a giant comet that is heading towards Earth. Morgan Freeman plays the President of the United States, who must make the difficult decision of how to save the planet. This movie was rated PG-13 and grossed $349.5 million at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his performance as the level-headed and decisive president.
13. The Bucket List (2007)
This comedy-drama follows the story of two terminally ill men (Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman) who decide to embark on an adventure to fulfill their bucket list of things to do before they die. This movie was rated PG-13 and grossed $175.4 million at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his performance as the wise and gentle companion of Nicholson’s character.
14. Batman Begins (2005)
This superhero blockbuster follows the story of Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) as he is trained by the mysterious Ra’s al Ghul (Liam Neeson) and his faithful butler Alfred (Morgan Freeman) to become Batman. This movie was rated PG-13 and grossed $374.2 million at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his performance as the wise and loyal mentor of Batman.
15. Now You See Me (2013)
This crime-mystery follows the story of a group of illusionists who use their magic to commit daring heists. They are pursued by a FBI agent (Mark Ruffalo) and an Interpol detective (Morgan Freeman). This movie was rated PG-13 and grossed $351.7 million at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his performance as the experienced and level-headed detective.
16. The Electric Company (1972)
This classic children’s show follows the story of four friends (Morgan Freeman, Rita Moreno, Bill Cosby, and Skip Hinnant) as they use their powers of imagination to battle the forces of evil. This show was rated G and grossed $3 million at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his performance as the cool and inspiring leader of the group.
17. Lucy (2014)
This sci-fi action-thriller follows the story of Lucy (Scarlett Johansson), a woman who gains superhuman powers after an accidental drug overdose. She is aided in her mission by Professor Norman (Morgan Freeman), a scientist who helps her to maximize her newfound abilities. This movie was rated R and grossed $463.4 million at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his performance as the wise and knowledgeable mentor of Lucy.
18. Seven Days in Utopia (2011)
This inspiring drama follows the story of Luke Chisholm (Lucas Black), a young golfer who finds himself stranded in the small town of Utopia, Texas. He is aided in his journey by Johnny Crawford (Morgan Freeman), an eccentric golf mentor. This movie was rated G and grossed $8.9 million at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his performance as the wise and gentle mentor of Luke.
19. Along Came a Spider (2001)
This crime-thriller follows the story of a veteran detective (Morgan Freeman) and a Secret Service agent (Monica Potter) as they investigate a kidnapping case involving a cunning serial killer. This movie was rated R and grossed $105.2 million at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his performance as the experienced and level-headed detective.
20. Lean on Me (1989)
This inspiring drama follows the story of Joe Clark (Morgan Freeman), a tough principal who takes over a failing inner-city school and attempts to turn it around. This movie was rated R and grossed $38.9 million at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his performance as the tough but inspiring principal.
21. Now You See Me 2 (2016)
This action-packed sequel follows the story of the Four Horsemen as they are forced to perform a seemingly impossible heist by a mysterious criminal mastermind. They enlist the help of an Interpol detective (Morgan Freeman) to help them in their mission. This movie was rated PG-13 and grossed $334.9 million at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his performance as the experienced and level-headed detective.
22. Street Smart (1987)
This classic drama follows the story of magazine writer (Christopher Reeve) who goes undercover in the seedy underworld of New York City. He is aided in his mission by Fast Black (Morgan Freeman), a streetwise pimp who helps him to survive in the dangerous world. This movie was rated R and grossed $6.1 million at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his breakthrough performance as the wise and streetwise Fast Black.
23. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019)
This animated sequel follows the story of Emmet (Chris Pratt) and his friends as they face off against a mysterious new threat. They are aided in their mission by Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman), a sage wizard who helps them to defeat their foes. This movie was rated PG and grossed $191.2 million at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his performance as the wise and mysterious Vitruvius.
24. RED (2010)
This action-comedy follows the story of a group of retired CIA agents who are forced to go back into action after one of their own is targeted by assassins. They are aided in their mission by Joe Matheson (Morgan Freeman), a former CIA director. This movie was rated PG-13 and grossed $199.5 million at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his performance as the experienced and level-headed leader of the team.
25. Kiss the Girls (1997)
This crime-thriller follows the story of a detective (Morgan Freeman) and a psychologist (Ashley Judd) as they investigate a series of kidnappings in which the victims are all women. This movie was rated R and grossed $117.6 million at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his performance as the experienced and level-headed detective.
26. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
This blockbuster superhero movie follows the story of Batman (Christian Bale) as he battles a masked terrorist known as Bane (Tom Hardy). He is aided in his mission by the faithful butler Alfred (Morgan Freeman). This movie was rated PG-13 and grossed $1.085 billion at the box office. Morgan Freeman was praised for his performance as the wise and loyal mentor of Batman.
Morgan Freeman is undoubtedly one of the greatest actors of all time, and his performances in the above-mentioned movies are a testament to his immense talent. From the wise and level-headed leaders to the warm and endearing mentors, Morgan Freeman has brought to life a wide range of characters with depth and humanity.